Gillard minister chooses harlot’s prerogative

Piers Akerman

–,
Monday,
January,
14,
2013,(9:03am)

THE Gillard government has again chosen the harlot’s prerogative – power without responsibility.

Today, the welfare delivery agency, Centrelink, will begin apologising to 80,000 single parents for incorrectly telling them to destroy their pensioner concession cards.

Public servants employed at Centrelink will phone, message and write to all single parents who, from the first of January, have been forced onto the lower Newstart, or dole, payments.

Centrelink have to tell them they can continue using their old pensioner card to receive discounts on power and water bills, public transport, car registration and medicines – contrary to Centrelink advice - until at least they’re sent new cards.

Human Services Minister, Kim Carr says he’s ordered Centrelink to apologise and correct the unnecessary confusion but didn’t offer any apology himself though as minister he is responsible for his department’s actions.

At best, he admitted to the ABC he was disappointed by his department.

“I was very disappointed that a letter of the type that’s been described was sent out and I’ve asked the department to contact all people that are affected to explain again that the concessions will continue,” he told AM.

He ducked and weaved when Alexandra Kirk tried to get him to accept a degree of responsibility for the huge and distressing blunder.

Centrelink actually wrote to single parents telling them to destroy their pensioner concession cards, which was wrong.

“There are occasions when things go wrong,” Carr said. “This is one of those occasions. I’m disappointed that it’s occurred, particularly given the fact that we’ve made such effort to treat people properly and to explain their rights and their entitlements under the new arrangements.”

Kirk asked whether “someone or some people in Centrelink” will be reprimanded or lose their jobs over this?

Carr effortlessly flicked that one to the department saying “Well discipline is a matter for the public service. The secretary of the department will have a look at what’s happened here.”

The error, he said, was made by a computer.

Given the number of blunders made by this disastrous administration it may time to reboot Canberra or admit that it is a whore of a government.

Have Your Say

Discipline is a matter for the public service?
Then why do we elect ministers who under the old rules used to actually run their departments?
We could get by without a government is seems.
A lifetime ago I worked in a public service department. Our Minister was a firm, fair and feared leader.
Mistakes were very, very rare.

Indeed. Many of the Ministers in former governments had the nouse to know what was going on and to make sure decisions were in order and proper proceedures followed. This lot will blame any and everything on the departments, easier for them and they just do not know how to take responsibility.

They take all the praise when something goes well but duck for cover when the mucj hits the fan.

victoria replied to Aard Knox
Mon 14 Jan 13 (10:32am)

The error was made by a computer...not someone in the department, not the minister and for once not Tony Abbott !!!!
How can anyone expect a computer to take responsibility ?

DontTreadOnMe! replied to Aard Knox
Mon 14 Jan 13 (11:26am)

Victoria, computers do not act off their own bat! Someone has requested this.

annieg 3021 replied to Aard Knox
Mon 14 Jan 13 (01:48pm)

Aard Knox
This is a government that makes things up on the run and on the back of an envelope . The government you worked for must have been the old fashion type, you know the sort of government we had under John howard.

owl replied to Aard Knox
Mon 14 Jan 13 (03:26pm)

The problems at Centrelink is another Pink Batt, BER, Green Loan, Solar Panel, Open Borders debacle. The buck should stop at the desks of Rudd and Gillard Labor.

How can the public servants at Centrelink carry out their duties if they cannot be sure exactly who their Minister is?

On July 1, 2011, Julia Gillard changed Centrelink and named it Dept for Human Services and lumbered it with extra responsibilities without the necessary checks and balances.

The unplanned, unbudgetted 30,000 illegal immigrants arriving without any form of identity have created a huge burden on the already stretched resources of Centrelink/Human Services Dept.

Then there were the natural disasters - Victorian bushfires and the Queensland floods - which involved assistance for destitute, homeless Australians in urgent need of support. Gillard decided that Centrelink/Human Services should carry the burden.

Since Sept 10, 2011, there has been 3 Labor (trade union) Ministers getting work experience at Centrelink/Human Services.

Is there any Federal Govt Dept that is actually working efficiently? Just recently the media reported on the massive bribery-corruption in Customs/Immigration, Reserve Bank-Securency, now we have Centrelink Human Services struggling to cope with the incompetence of the Gillard Labor Govt.

As for Bob Carr, his NSW Labor legacy is being exposed in NSW ICAC hearing on Carr’s former Minister Obeid. Looks like Carr is trying to compete with Rudd for the job of PM. Gillard has shown us all that she should never have been appointed as PM neither should Rudd or unelected Carr for that matter - they all come from the same Labor school of propaganda/spin.

Aard Knox replied to Aard Knox
Mon 14 Jan 13 (03:29pm)

Victoria, perhaps they should send the computer to the nought-y corner.
And then sack its handler.

Farmer Ted. replied to Aard Knox
Mon 14 Jan 13 (06:52pm)

This reminds me of Barry Jones. After the Hawke government was elected they made Barry Minister for Science.

Barry committed the mortal sin of taking an interest in the science.

So they got him out of there and sidelined him by making him national president of the party.

No doubt they feared he might notice the fraud in their AGW push.

truth replied to Aard Knox
Tue 15 Jan 13 (12:35am)

Owl…

Add to the criminality at Customs, the fact that Labor reduced Customs checks and now we have a huge increase in imported illegal firearms.

There’s a racket going on in the unions too, IMO----to save Howes from having to resign as promised over all of the jobs lost due at least in large part to the carbon tax .

There’s no way Howes can allow the coming jobs losses to be attributed to the carbon tax, or he’s a goner---unless of course Labor’s MSM [ every bit as much a whore as Labor itself], just decides to play dead and let him off the hook---something they’ll be needing a lot of practice at this year, as they struggle to defend the abomination that is Labor, and to flog the lies about TA, scripted for them by Labor, with the express purpose of deceiving the Australian people.

A ‘whore of a government’, as Piers says, enabled by a whore of a MSM.

We’re not supposed to notice how quickly the sacked workers jump in to assure their MSM comrades interviewing them on television---that the carbon tax is not the reason their jobs are disappearing---no, no, no---anything but the big new tax.

It looks like a gun at their back to me---and of course when they say the company is cutting costs , they pretend not to realize that a whopping great carbon tax on all of the company’s inputs could just possibly be seen as a ‘cost’---maybe the cost that tips them over the edge.

If these Labor-loving union members don’t have any problem with a 23% tax that feeds into everything they buy and do---then they must be up for all sorts of tax increases---no worries.

And a pay cut is the same as a tax increase, so maybe Comrade Howes could negotiate a 23% cut in their pay packets to help the company to ‘cut costs’ so the ‘workers’ could keep their jobs.

Howes’ unions could do that across the board, and Australia could become competitive again---no worries.

While the Greens are breaking the laws of Australia in order to kill off those industries they disapprove of [ which just happen to be the ones laying the golden eggs],their fellow-saboteurs in Labor are putting Australians out of work, raising inflation, putting us deeply in debt to the Chinese Communist dictatorship , all in an act of vandalism by government the likes of which we’ve never seen before----squandering a once-in-a-lifetime possibly never-to-be- repeated commodities boom.

All of the warnings from TA about the carbon tax are coming to fruition---jobs lost---bail-outs needed----plant closures----loss of markets looming---small business hanging on by its toenails---and the threat of an exodus off-shore, with big business citing ‘surging costs in Australia’, but as intimidated as the unions , it seems , when it comes to attributing any of those ‘costs’ to the carbon tax----no, no. no----they’ve got no worries about big new taxes either, so, if they don’t start telling the truth, the States should test them with the Royalties.

And soon the US will be exporting in huge quantities much of the energy we now export.

Which one will our present buyers feel it’s in their interests to deal with, I wonder.

owl replied to Aard Knox
Tue 15 Jan 13 (01:11pm)

truth - I totally agree with your comments. The Labor-Greens-Independents in the Gillard Govt are playing us for fools.

It is staggering that Gillard-Rudd Labor have so much contempt for the consequences of their dodgy decisions in Government. One stuff-up after another.

The Public Service is only as good as the Government it serves. The elected Govt dictates the policies and the Public Services rolls it out. The problem is that the policies are half-baked and constantly changed by the Labor politicians. 1 step forward 3 steps back.

In the case of the Single Parents allowance reduction that Jenny Macklin announced - I think they did a backflip after the announcement and Macklin’s comment that she could live on the same reduced allowance. The backflip was that several days later, the Gillard Govt announced an increase in the Newstart Allowance to make up for the reduction in the single parents allowance. No wonder confusion reigned!

‘Whore of a government’ can also be interpreted as ‘Whichever way the wind blows - a*se covered’ - and that applies to both Rudd and Gillard. Ethically and morally bankrupt.

Senior minister Bill Shorten could not even buy a meat pie without incident, the funny part of it was there were still admirers of this pathetic group.

Go easy on bill, that pie was his only meal for the day. He’s having trouble making ends meet on$350,000 a year.

morph replied to Aquarian
Mon 14 Jan 13 (10:25am)

Bill Shortens mistake was that he didn’t send a public servant in to rage and rant at the shop keeper, that way when it blew up, he could have blamed it all on a misunderstanding and declare that the appropriate disciplinary action will take place. If you do the deed yourself there is no one to blame.

proud aussie replied to Aquarian
Mon 14 Jan 13 (01:44pm)

How about Julia Gillard being the 3rd highest paid politician in the world.
No wonder she is so arrogant and conceited.

Aussies are getting poorer whilst the likes of Julia Gillard get fatter, richer and more dictatorial. Perhaps Julia should put her hands in her own very deep pockets and pay back some of the wasted Tax Payer Dollars she has been responsible for.

Oh for a return to the humble days of John Howard.

This is a whore of a government, the things they stuff up is a national embarrassment.

What more can one expect from a government led by a dishonest flake that is a vacuum of incompetence. This is not a government, it is a shambles.

This morning we read that compensation payouts to public servants nearly doubled last year to about $1 Billion to compensate the luvvies for ‘stress related injuries’. This latest cockup will no doubt precipitate a further increase in ‘stress related injuries’ that the ever diminishing ranks of wealth creating employees will have to pay for.

Ted replied to Lord Argyle
Mon 14 Jan 13 (04:31pm)

This is a whore of a government
and who are the ones who get screwed and have to pay up the bill?

.

Computer mistake ????
the excuse of those unwilling to take personal responsibility
GIGO ????

Your dead right Jackie.
Somebody had to have drafted the letter on somebody’s authorization.
Somebody must have then fed the information into the computer.
No “one” person sent this letter.
Just another failure by this governments ministers and departments they control to admit to a mistake caused by themselves.
It’s always, let me say that again it’s ALWAYS someone else’s fault.
It’s a wonder Carr didn’t give Abbott a run.

TassieRooster replied to Jackie
Mon 14 Jan 13 (10:25am)

Jackie the whole ALP/Union world view revolves around nobody being held accountable for their own actions. You only have to look at their soft laws (both State & Federal) to see how they encourage the “victim” mentality. Naturally the only exception are employers.

One of the main reason we left rural NSW was the draconian Workcover laws created by the ALP State Gov that basically exempted workers from being held liable for their own actions (even when these actions were contrary to signed instructions) but instead hold their manager/supervisor & employer accountable both criminally & financially. I’d been involved in various industries as a supervisor/manager for 20yrs & saw 1st-hand how workplace laws changed & it scared the hell out of me.

These ALP/Union grubs are undermining our very way of life with their meddling in every aspect of society, from the workplace to the courts nobody is held accountable for their own stupidity. It’s always someone else’s fault. This, indeed, is “The Labor Way”.

morph replied to Jackie
Mon 14 Jan 13 (10:30am)

The reason the “mistakes” keep happening is because the ALP refuse to admit they make any.

The proper way to correct a mistake is to a). fess up to it, b) say sorry and c) to put in steps to ensure it won’t happen again. The ALP never get to step a)

Paleocon replied to Jackie
Mon 14 Jan 13 (12:01pm)

When they were young it was the dog/baby brother ate my homework,now it is the computer made a mistake.....
Doesn’t anyone with some sort of reponsible position proofread what is being printed?

Zebedee replied to Jackie
Mon 14 Jan 13 (01:37pm)

Computers don’t make mistakes.
The people using them do.

Randolph replied to Jackie
Mon 14 Jan 13 (02:46pm)

To TassieRooster. You’re spot on. This communist government hates business (the organisations that risk private capital to create wealth creating jobs for Australians). As a medium sized employer I too am terrified by the immoral workplace laws that have been inflicted upon us. Like many others, I am looking to move manufacturing to Asia. Why should I risk gaol and financial ruin just for offering jobs to ungrateful Australians. They can stuff off!

John Jay replied to Jackie
Mon 14 Jan 13 (03:36pm)

.

To Jackie -

I know exactly who caused this mess.

No, it wasn’t a computer at all ..

It was, naturally, Tony Abbott.

Tony Abbott caused the wrong information to come out.

It is simple -

Everything good this government achieves (this list requires no biro ink) is due to the competency of this government.

Every mess this government creates is .. well, it is Tony Abbott’s fault.

Shortly Kim Carr will publicly apologize to the computer ..

He will correct his error .. he will explain the mess was in fact caused by Tony Abbott .. he will also explain it was Tony Abbott’s fault he wrongly blamed the computer.

John Jay.

brian of melbourne replied to Jackie
Mon 14 Jan 13 (06:04pm)

TassieRooster
I agree with you 100%
I attended a seminar that the company I worked for at the time held for its managers and supervisors.
The subject was responsibility for injuries to workers even when they had been given directions in writing on how they were to go about the job.
It was quickly made clear to us that it did not matter if the injured worker had not obeyed the directions, the supervisor/ manager was deemed ultimately responsible under Labors “laws”
This led to a discussion about why anyone would take on a supervisory role when they could be liable for someones stupidity and incur a fine of up to 250,000 dollars.
The CEO was asked the question .Would it not be wize to put everything in your wifes name and he replied “that is exactly what I have done”
Who in their right mind would want the trauma of being taken to court and trying to prove you had done everything within your power to provide a safe working environment and that it was someones idiocy that had caused the accident.
All this responsibility for a few grand more a year which most workers make up in overtime anyway.
I can tell you much of the work I was responsible for was done by sub contract companies after that. with instructions that they provide written JSAs and work method statements to limit my liability and nowadays even going that way still leaves you ultimately liable.
Welcome to Australia the stupid country where no one has to take responsibility for their own actions.

Old Man replied to Jackie
Mon 14 Jan 13 (11:47pm)

I think what has happened is that the computer has been programmed to react to certain triggers. If a person goes onto a particular payment then x,y and z has to happen. All of the people who have received advices have been moved from one type of payment to another and the computer has reacted in accordance with the law applicable.

Throughout this Labor government, whether it be Rudd or Gillard in charge, we have seen the knee-jerk reactions, the quick fix, the populous answer and this is another example of it. Whoever decided to reduce single parents from a support pension to the dole didn’t think it through. The Minister is in charge, the Minister has to shoulder the blame.

A whore is a whore, is a whore, is a ........... These @ssholes just can’t help themselves; they’ve done nothing wrong, mainly because they can’t tell what is ‘write’ or wrong.

Hey this is standard Labor procedure, in QLD, Beattie and Bligh would stuff up, and then some low down the chain public servant would cop it in the neck, and the media of course would go along with it, absolving Beattie of blame. But now the LNP is in power, any mistakes are the Ministers responsibility. Our totally unbiased, dumb lemming media as they succumb to Gillards demands of censorship.

Clear indication of the incompetence of the public service. Someone in senior management must have approved this letter. Now they are ducking for cover, and the Minister is ducking even further under the desk. Heads would roll in any other government.
Such total incompetence is unforgivable, but what more would you expect from this government and its inability to run a simple cold bath.

titch as an ex centrelink employee, I can tell you for a fact all cancellation letters were written and formatted years ago. They are sent automatically on the cancellation of any payment, and all have the “ destroy the concession card bit” this is because once the payment is cancelled you lose entitlement to the card. If you claim another payment or are transferred to another payment you obtain a new card and are entitled to the concessions related to that card. This is not related to this new issue of cancelling the single parenting payment and transferring to Newstart Allowance. The so called Minister is just trying to blame someone else for his so called governments stupid decisions made on the run without any time given to think of the outcomes.

Menai Pete replied to titch
Mon 14 Jan 13 (11:28am)

They won’t sack or reprimand any public servants ... they are the only people who vote for the Labor Party and the Greens these days.

Titch replied to titch
Mon 14 Jan 13 (07:34pm)

That is exactly the point. This particular case was an exception, that needed attention, so it didn’t go viral. So who was watching what was to happen?
There should have been a clear directive from the Minister’s office on this matter, to ensure that the standard form letter did NOT go out. What is the point of having paid staff to manage the exceptions to the rule, if this requirement is simply ignored, or disregarded, because a computer can generate a letter.
This is where you are wrong, my friend. With classic public service mentality, “it’s not my fault”. Blame something else and make sure your own backside is safe.
This is precisely the problem with the public service, everyone scurries for cover when there is a boo boo made, and then you blame the system.
Public Servants are paid to provide service to the public. And the MInister and his staff should be on top of it. Labor incompetence as I said.

Last week saw outrage over Macklin reportedly saying she could live on $35 per day followed by her belated apology. It had my bs meter pinging and me screaming we’re being played.

I believe we’re being softened up for dole payments to be increased.

Report yesterday in papers about payment increases for some being discussed by politicians and now this. Single parents are now on the dole when their youngest is 8. This is how dole increases are going to get passed through. It streamlines welfare and bungs it up for all. Who’s going to bitch overly about kiddies getting more cash?

By the end of the month this government will of played us mug punters to fever pitch. Gillard and her government will come out contrite savers of the welfare hard done by (for they must be hard done by. We’ve all been bitching about payments for illegal entry vessel passengers being more and mummies getting shafted) with a 50 buck increase across the board (what’s being reported as discussed by ALP backbenchers. Convenient leak nobody is bitching about or denying) and some better tax concessions for others. It’ll go through without a peep. Just watch.

I agree entirely, Michelle. They will need to do this, otherwise they stand to lose a chunk of their diminishing voter base. The “cash for kiddies” is simply a softening bribe. How long can we afford this?

TassieRooster replied to Michelle
Mon 14 Jan 13 (10:07am)

Spot on Michelle, as soon as Macklin said it I knew they were gunna increase the dole (IE; bribe their voter base) & her comments were deliberate. These grubs always have an ulterior motive. Everything they say & do is carefully scripted - with malice aforethought.

Funny how the compliant MSM never calls them on these blatant manipulations of the public. Too stupid, or too biased? Though perhaps it’s because many journo’s long for a high-paying PR job with the Labor “Machine”.

Linda replied to Michelle
Mon 14 Jan 13 (10:16am)

Macklin’s ridiculous statement about being able to live on $35 a week was not planned, as is evidenced by her department’s deceitful attempts to pretend she had not said that. So I don’t see any foresight or planning if there is a rise in the Newstart allowance.

Having said that this, if a rise happens, it is actually even worse, a political move to cover up an, at worst, stupid statement, so that the Oppositon has the wind taken out of its sails should it try to attack Labor on it. A rise might both affect wilingness to work and have to come from borrowings, so needs to be properly considered, which is unlikely going by past debacles.

Whatever, Gillard and co are playing games, with our country and its people.

BwanaBill replied to Michelle
Mon 14 Jan 13 (10:28am)

If you are correct Michelle and they do raise the dole, then it is just another example of Labor buying the vote of the financially stressed.

The really sad thing is that when the economy contracts the first to lose their income are those same people about to be bought for a $50 increase in the dole.

They, and I understand them, will not look past the $50 and ask why they do not have a job. Their financial independence will have been removed from their grasp by this incompetent government.

That just what this government wants.

Robert TG replied to Michelle
Mon 14 Jan 13 (01:25pm)

We are being played and it is Typical of this government. First, they take away money from single mums with kids. Now wait until the Welsh W---e
government will make a big deal announcement that “Labor” is giving an increase of money to single mums with kids!!… That is, In a few months time.... Right after the election. The idea is to gain votes because the single mum will be so grateful, and the rest of the population will be decieved into thinking Labor is for the battler. Those wanting an increase to their handout will vote Labor.

what a sad person one has to be, not to even be able to take the “the buck stops with me”.
It’s unbelievable that they never want to take responsibility in their own “portfolio”, it’s always someone else’s mistake.
Surely he (Carr) would have read or seen that “letter” before it was sent out?
I am simply stumped by this, what is so difficult to say, “hey it was me, it is my mistake”. Don’t blame some one else, that is so dumb!
Than again, what else do we expect of this rabble in Canberra?
Election PLEASE!

He has enough advisors to keep him on track. An incompetent Minister can be made to look good by competent staff but if they are also incompetent then he will show as the fool he is. I cannot find one Minister in this government willing to take responsibiltiy for what is done in the portfolio they are paid big bikkies to run.

The poor old computer, it must hang its head in shame. It gets up early every day, often works 24 hours straight, gets no overtime or leave loading and still gets blamed for all the glitches.

This ex public serpent remembers only too well middle level public ser vants coping the blame for a Minister not using his credit card properly. The poor bunnies were told they had not explained things properly....and this to a man who was in Cabinet.

”The $50 per week (increase) is non-negotiable in that it was put forward by the Ken Henry review,” she said. “It’s a well-based policy position that’s been thoroughly investigated and endorsed by community groups.

“To do anything other than the substantial increase . . . would just not be acceptable.”

The Australian Council of Social Service has also backed the $50 weekly increase while noting it would still leave people below the poverty line, making other policy changes “crucial”.

“Along with extra support measures to prepare people for paid work, and allowing them to keep more of the money they earn, we also need to align the different indexation arrangements, which has led to allowances like Newstart falling $140 below pensions,” said acting ACOSS chief executive Tessa Boyd-Caine.

The government is modelling at least three possible welfare changes, including allowing Newstart recipients to keep a greater proportion of their payment while in work, more assistance for single parents, and a moderate dole increase of less than $50 a week.

A number of Labor MPs have publicly and privately backed the increase, which is tipped to command attention in caucus when parliament resumes next month.

Look for an election to be called as soon as the focus groups have distilled the mood of the electorate post the increase.

It is on this I base my call for an early announcement of the increase, prior to the March state election in W.A. so the impact can be judged quickly followed by a general election in April before Swan has to admit a $15billion deficit in May.

sue replied to Michelle
Mon 14 Jan 13 (12:28pm)

I agree with you Michelle, it is as obvious as Gillard’s fluttering false eyelashes.

Worker replied to Michelle
Mon 14 Jan 13 (01:35pm)

People who work part time are treated like lepers by Centrelink, they cause them too much work

Jack replied to Michelle
Mon 14 Jan 13 (04:38pm)

We’re being played

WHY??????

Just incase anyone missed this
Piers for many months my friends have been banned off of Julia Gillards FB page
And yet still they didnt ban me
Her moderators kept banning them, because they were asking questions they didnt like
And yet still they didnt ban me
At times my friends were insulting to her, as was i
And yet still they didnt ban me
My friends even called her a murderer, as did i, over the deaths of more than 1000 boat people
And yet still i wasnt banned
My friends were amazed i was still allowed to post, as was i , as sometimes my posts bordered on the ridiculous
And then after all these months of posting posts, that i thought would finally get banned over,on saturday i finally asked a few questions, that the moderators thought went to far
And that was all about the Royal Commision into child abuse, and the Heiner Affair
Some of the questions, and statements i made were
Julia Gillard, will you include the Heiner Affair, into the royal commision?
If not, then why not? Do you not think that an indigenous woman, who was gang raped as a 14 yr old, deserves to be heard, and have justice handed out, to those that covered it up, by having documents shredded
I can understand that you wont have it investigated, as there are some powerful Labor people involved in this scandal, and those people would be facing long jail terms, for the shredding of those documents, and the subsequent cover up
This government doesnt want the Heiner Affair investigated, because if they did, then why did they vote down the move by Julie Bishop, to open a Parliamentary enquiry into it. And those that voted it down immediately were Gillard, Shorten, Rudd, Albonese, Emerson and every other Labor ministers and the independants
So that proves it. the Heiner Affair will not be investigated, as they DO NOT want this monster let loose, a monster that will bring this government down, and jail a lot of powerful ALP people
And if you ask the right question, or in the eyes of the ALP, the most uncomfortable questions they dont like to be asked, questions that are meant to educate the uneducated sheeple, they will do everything to censure you

Yes they can!
They went all out to feed us a non stop diet of their Socialist rubbish and they set out to destroy our way of life.
Finally success (at something.)
Well, I suppose in their eyes it is.
Forget the cost.

Peter B replied to Gordo
Mon 14 Jan 13 (03:30pm)

Labor are very competent at telling lies and deceiving and they are competent at being incompetent.
One thing is for sure they can’t get anything right.

the loen gunmen replied to Gordo
Mon 14 Jan 13 (03:36pm)

No, they cannot even introduce a tax that generates revenue – aka the mining tax. That is a first in my life time.

John Jay replied to Gordo
Mon 14 Jan 13 (03:49pm)

.

To Gordo -

Yes they can ...

They are extremely good at destroying ...

Especially their leader .. she is gold medal material ...

The hemorrhaging in pretty near all areas of Australian society is no accident.

There is an intelligence and cunning behind it .. an intelligence and cunning that works through Gillard ...

An intelligence and cunning not of this world.

John Jay.

I can blame my computer when Gillard enacts her legislation to silence me and the millions of critics across the Nation. I guess building bigger jails will be her next big investment.

Disenters sent to “Dentention Centres”, property confiscated ofr the housing current residents.

Kim Carr is a gutless wonder like all the cretins in this cancerous govt…
These ministers are paid bloated salaries and are totally useless.
When the proverbial hits the fan they duck and weave and wont take any responsibility but have no qualms about picking up their pay.
Juliar and her mob are OXYGEN THIEVES.!!!

Encouraging to see that Colin Barnett, Premier of WA has cemented his lead 58% to 42% TPP. They go to elections in March.

Very impressive politician is Colin Barnett. Very impressive indeed.
WA is blessed to have him. One of those politicians who come along rarely, like John Howard and Tony Abbott.

jim replied to Jim
Mon 14 Jan 13 (02:08pm)

proud aussie, I am really looking forward to a change of government in Canberra, to give us all something we can once again be proud of to be an Australian.

Gillard struts around with that look of pride, superiority and triumphalism on her face. Proud of who knows what.

But the rest of us cringe every time she opens her mouth, dreams up a new policy, or sharpens a new barb against Tony Abbott.

This is not the beautiful country I grew up in. I just hope we can restore what is left of our national pride and restore all of the freedoms we once enjoyed as a compassionate conservative country.

I have had enough of Labor’s revolting socialist “progressivism” (regressivism?}.

Men like Colin Barnett and Tony Abbott and women like Julie Bishop have the right qualities and policies to restore Australia to its former stature.

But pity the poor taxpayer, faced with around 22 years of paying down Swan/Gillard Labor debt - if it is possible at all to pay it off at the rate Peter Costello managed to do with half the debt over 10 years.

There are no assets left to sell, so it might well be our grandkids that have to finalise the debt that two successive Labor governments (Rudd and Gillard’s) ran up for no good reason in the space of 6 years.

This is the Rudd/Gillard/Swan legacy!

Not such a lucky country after all!

Mother G replied to Jim
Mon 14 Jan 13 (02:36pm)

Verity of Perth if you are out there today....bless all you Western Australians, kep up the good work for the feredal poll.

Profile

Piers Akerman

Piers has been one of The Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph's best-read columnists since 1993. One of the nation's most respected journalists he has worked in New York, London, Washington and Los Angeles. He lives in Sydney with his wife and two daughters and enjoys a wide range of activities.